Tarik Skubal underwent arthroscopic surgery on May 6 to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, but the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner has already started playing catch, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other reporters. This most basic stage of Skubal’s throwing progression will see the left-hander “continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen [sessions],” Hinch said, though all parties will remain in consultation with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery.
“I was texting back and forth with [Skubal] last night, and he feels super excited about just the general feeling [of throwing],” Hinch said. “It doesn’t feel weird. It doesn’t feel awkward. It’s not guarded. I’ve seen video of it. We’re in touch with him daily about the program, and that sort of freedom, mentally and physically, I think is a great sign. We’ve been in touch with the doctor and making sure that we’re going by the protocol, because it’s a unique set of circumstances of him throwing so soon in which the volume was not impacted.”
The recovery process is still in its early stages, so Hinch said a clearer timetable for Skubal wouldn’t be known until the southpaw starts to ramp up the intensity of his throwing sessions and gets onto a mound. Still, it is certainly promising to see Skubal already feeling well enough to throw so soon after the procedure.
In general, arthroscopic surgeries usually lead to pitchers missing between 2-3 months of action, though much depends on what types of loose bodies (bone chips, cartilage, etc.) need to be removed, as well as other x-factors like the overall state of the individual pitcher’s elbow. Skubal is no stranger to major surgeries, as he underwent a Tommy John procedure in college and a flexor tendon surgery in August 2022 that kept him out of action until July 2023.
In this case, however, Skubal underwent a Nanoscope procedure. As Beck puts it, this method “is less invasive and uses a smaller incision than a typical arthroscopic surgery, was hoped to result in a quicker resumption of activity.” It would like the Nanoscope has indeed allowed Skubal to make some early progress, though it remains to be seen if the left-hander will be able to return to Detroit’s active roster in any shorter order.
The Tigers surely won’t want to rush Skubal in any way, as any sort of setback would elongate his recovery timeline and potentially even put his entire season in jeopardy. Bigger-picture considerations are also naturally in play here, given how Skubal is a free agent this winter. It is already possible that this injury absence could impact Skubal’s attempts to land the largest pitching contract in history, but the southpaw obviously wants to return as soon as safely possible in order to both help the Tigers win in 2026 and to boost his own case for a record-setting payday.
Despite a 20-25 record and a cavalcade of injuries, Detroit is far from out of it given the parity in the American League. If the Tigers can at least tread water until Skubal and other injured players can return, it is still very possible Detroit can secure a wild card berth or even the AL Central crown. However, if the Tigers are firmly out of the playoff race by July, the equation on Skubal’s readiness might change to whether or not the ace is able to display his health for any possible suitors heading into the trade deadline.
